This week countries around the world have issued security warnings related to year-end holidays. At this writing, there have been no holiday-related incidents. Given this happy circumstance, we will simply wish you all a happy holiday season. And just in case, we've included the Federal Trade Commissions holiday shopping tips in Recommended Reading.

3. AML/CFT Monitor

The AML/CFT Monitor is a monthly 16-page print publication. News highlights from the past week are provided in this free email update, but detailed analysis, background information and source documents are only available to subscribers. Purchase a subscription at our online store:
TAMNI Publications

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AML/CFT Incidents/Cases
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The Australian Crime Commission has been unraveling the multimillion-dollar drug network that was exposed in investigations that followed the arrest of operators of a small money remittance business in October.
http://www.theage.com.au/news/national/exposed-multimilliondollar-drug-network/2006/12/22/1166290743054.html

The Royal Canadian Mounted Police discovered $400,000 in cash hidden in a car, found to be the proceeds of criminal activities. Robert Wasnie has been charged with money laundering and possessing the proceeds of crime.
http://www.canada.com/topics/news/national/story.html?id=44038b80-a3c2-4327-8a3d-5adaca316448&k=16673

Chinese police report uncovering seven large underground banks that laundered more than 14 billion yuan ($1.75 billion) through remittances, foreign exchange, and other transnational services.
http://english.people.com.cn/200612/19/eng20061219_333936.html
http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/china/2006-12/19/content_762992.htm

The largest case detected was in Shanghai, involving five billion yuan laundered through front companies and underground banks.
http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/bizchina/2006-12/02/content_748871.htm

The Bank of Tokyo-Mitsubishi UFJ, Ltd., Tokyo, Japan, and some of its US operations is the subject of coordinated enforcement actions undertaken by the US Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC), the Federal Reserve Board, and the New York State Banking Department (NYSBD) in connection with deficiencies in Bank Secrecy Act and AML compliance policies and practices. The orders require policy and system improvements confirmed by independent review.
http://www.fdic.gov/news/news/press/2006/pr06117.html (press release)
http://www.fdic.gov/bank/individual/enforcement/2006_12_00.pdf (FDIC/NYSBD order)
http://www.fdic.gov/news/news/press/2006/pr06117a.pdf (Agreement)

Maltese police arrested Godwin Spiteri and his brother Antoine Spiteri when they were found with significant quantities of heroin and cocaine. They have been charged with money laundering, drug trafficking, and drug possession.
http://www.di-ve.com/dive/portal/portal.jhtml?id=261694&pid=23

Two Italians and a Slovenian have been arraigned on money laundering and fraud charges in Malta, in connection with stolen bank drafts fraudulently used in a casino.
http://www.maltastar.com/pages/msfullart.asp?an=8606

Liberian diamonds cannot be guaranteed conflict-free as yet, therefore the UN Security Council has renewed sanctions for a year, subject to review after four months.
http://www.un.org/News/Press/docs//2006/sc8916.doc.htm

Alfonso Barajas ("Ugly Poncho") has been arrested in Mexico, during the federal government's operations in the western state of Michoacan. Barajas is the alleged head of the Gulf drug cartel.
http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/N18163271.htm

N38 billion of the N65 billion ($500m) public funds stashed away in Swiss banks by the late Nigerian General Sani Abacha cannot be traced or may have been misused. The money was reportedly lost in 51 projects tied to several federal ministries.
http://www.vanguardngr.com/articles/2002/cover/december06/19122006/f319122006.html

The Financial Times has obtained documents that show the extent - hundreds of millions of dollars in cash - transferred between North Korea and Banco Delta Asia in Macao.
http://www.ft.com/cms/s/ab682ebe-8e02-11db-ae0e-0000779e2340.html

The issue of financial sanctions against North Korea is of major significance in negotiations to address its nuclear programs.
http://english.chosun.com/w21data/html/news/200612/200612200008.html
http://www.siouxcityjournal.com/articles/2006/12/21/news/latest_news/ad9c2efff8cbfb0b8625724b001a752c.txt

Khalid Awan was found guilty in US court of providing funds and other support to the Khalistan Commando Force, a militant separatist group in India.
http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/N20154883.htm

US Banking regulators announced an agreement with Pakistan's Habib Bank to improve suspicious activity reporting and customer identification practices to comply with US law. Habib Bank is based is Karachi, and is one of the largest banks in Pakistan.
http://www.banking.state.ny.us/ea061221.pdf
http://www.dawn.com/2006/12/22/top12.htm
http://today.reuters.com/news/articleinvesting.aspx?type=governmentFilingsNews&storyID=2006-12-21T190739Z_01_N21201522_RTRIDST_0_USA-PAKISTAN-BANK-UPDATE-1.XML

Philippines businesses in Linamon, Lanao del Norte, report receiving an extortion letter from a Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) commander. An official MILF spokesman has told the businessmen not to support such activities and not to provide any financial support whatsoever to people posing as MILF members. MILF is engaged in a peace process with the government.
http://www.sunstar.com.ph/static/cag/2006/12/23/news/moro.militants.deny.demand.for.protection.cash.html

British police disrupted a plot to mass-produce crystal meth on the Isle of Wight. Timothy Morgan has become the first convicted in the UK of the offense of conspiracy to produce the class B drug,. He has been sentenced to ten years in prison. His associate David Walker was convicted of the same crime, and Stefan Thomas had previously pleaded guilty: they will be sentenced later.
http://www.solent.tv/pageviewer.aspx?page=S633022936089062500

Damian Mulholland has been jailed for six years for fuel laundering between Ireland and England. His associates Brian O'Doherty and Jagdevpal Jandu Singh were sentenced to five and 2.5 years, respectively.
http://coventry.observertoday.co.uk/news.tvt?_ticket=8MTEDWX263RGUU4HKWMAAQ4S7AKACK5IURXGKQQCDQZFCKLAFSEQ6QRFL1NA9NTGNMP9CHUTWTQFIQ0CBMTECYQHBHSI753EIOQL456DALONFKWFURUQCB99ANWR9LLGDGSG1UQFIVQ9ANZJ9LLHGGSGX2DP385XZX6&_scope=Flow/Websites/Coventry/News&id=209566

A lawsuit accusing Saleh Kamel and Albaraka Investment Bank of financing the 9/11 attacks has been dismissed in US court.
http://www.arabnews.com/?page=1&section=0&article=90144&d=18&m=12&y=2006

Kamal Elhomsi was sentenced in New Jersey district court to 37 months in federal prison for structuring financial transactions to evade reporting requirements on financial institutions, and credit card fraud.
http://www.usdoj.gov/usao/nj/press/files/pdffiles/elho1219rel.pdf
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AML/CFT Legislation and Regulation
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The UN Security Council has unanimously approved an appeals process for people and groups subjected to al Qaeda or Taleban sanctions.
http://daccess-ods.un.org/access.nsf/Get?Open&DS=S/RES/1730%20(2006)&Lang=E&Area=UNDOC
http://english.aljazeera.net/NR/exeres/767A62FE-141A-4E93-A525-F0DB51C3DFAF.htm

Canada's Proceeds of Crime (Money Laundering) and Terrorist Financing Act (Bill C-25) has received Royal Assent.
http://laws.justice.gc.ca/en/P-24.501/index.html
http://www.justice.gc.ca/en/news/nr/2001/doc_28217.htmlhttp://www.privcom.gc.ca/keyIssues/ki-qc/mc-ki-ml_e.asp

The new Act requires the Privacy Commissioner of Canada to review the Financial Transactions and Reports Analysis Centre (FINTRAC's) compliance with the Privacy Act,

Dominican Republic's Anti-Money Laundering Unit has received a donation of computer systems from the US.
http://www.dominicantoday.com/app/article.aspx?id=20724

Last year a Swiss court returned nearly half a billion dollars of funds stolen by Nigeria's former military ruler, Sani Abacha, on condition that it was spent on development. The World Bank has released its assessment, finding that half of the monitored projects have been successfully completed, and the other half headed in that direction. They have addressed development projects in the five priority sectors of power, roads, water, education, and health.
http://siteresources.worldbank.org/INTNIGERIA/Resources/Abacha_Funds_Monitoring_1221.pdf

The City of London Corporation released "Comparative Implementation of EU Directives (II) Money Laundering". Written by a group of British legal experts led by The British Institute of International and Comparative Law (BIICL), it examines the comparative implementation of the EU Second Money Laundering Directive in the United Kingdom, Spain, Italy, Greece, Poland and Lithuania, and the arrangements for monitoring and enforcing compliance with the legislation. It is hoped that the findings of the report will help to identify the changes that will be required to implement the Third Money Laundering Directive by December 2007. It demonstrates how a combination of imprecise terminology in the Directive itself and differences in existing national legal and regulatory systems can produce a wide range of implementation results. Particular problems and inconsistencies were identified in definitions of serious crimes, verification of identity in non face-to-face transactions, conflict between the prohibition on "tipping off" and the EU Data Protection Directive, and inconsistent suspicious transaction identification and reporting procedures.
http://213.86.34.248/NR/rdonlyres/528A5F1F-C1D9-4F14-8B8C-532448E2C9DA/0/BC_RS_Money_Laundering_FINALPRINTVERSION.pdf

The Bank of England announced that Sarra Properties Ltd has been designated under UN sanctions measures against Al Qaeda and Taleban. Details of designee Mohammed Al Ghabra have been updated.
http://www.bankofengland.co.uk/publications/news/2006/162.htm
http://www.bankofengland.co.uk/publications/news/2006/161.htm

The Council on Foundations has asked the US Treasury to withdraw CFT guidelines. Although revised guidelines issued in September address some of the previous concerns raised, they continue to "impose onerous information collection and reporting requirements that do little to protect charities from terrorist abuse. Not only would the collection of this information on grantees' employees and subcontractors, for instance, impose financial and administrative burdens on nonprofits and hinder their charitable activities, but the information itself will have little utility in preventing the diversion of charitable funds to terrorist purposes. In addition, while the Guidelines are characterized as voluntary by the Treasury Department, IRS agents – both in the context of audits and exemption applications – have questioned organizations about their compliance with the Guidelines. If the Guidelines are voluntary, they should not become a criterion for evaluating tax-exempt status". They recommend instead using the Council's own Principles of International Charity instead.
http://www.cof.org/Council/prdetail.cfm?ItemNumber=8881

The US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has signed an agreement with the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) for routine exchange of examination and enforcement information related to Bank Secrecy Act compliance.
http://www.sec.gov/news/press/2006/2006-217.htm
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/12/21/AR2006122101078.html

FinCEN has revised Suspicious Activity Reports (SARs) formats to support joint filing and reduce duplicate reports. New forms for the Securities and Futures Industries, Casinos and Card Clubs, and Insurance Companies have been posted for use after 30 June 2007.
http://www.fincen.gov/PRNewSARFormat122106.html
http://www.fincen.gov/press_release_12212006.html
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AML/CFT Modalities
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BBC Newsnight has posted a film from one of its viewers, which illustrates the production of cocaine in Colombia. (Audio and vide download or podcast)
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/programmes/newsnight/6201505.stm

Professor Alberto Bolivar's article, "Latin America's terrorist and insurgent groups" includes information on terrorist financing.
http://www.speroforum.com/site/article.asp?idarticle=7085

4. Emerging Threat Monitor

For detailed analysis, background information and source documents consider subscribing. Subscriptions to Emerging Threat Monitor can be purchased at our online store:
TAMNI Publications

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ETM Corruption and Transnational Crime
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In Canada, John Danson, former campaign manager for Toronto mayors Mel Lastman and June Rowlands, is one of six people arrested in an ongoing police investigation of grants obtained from the former Human Resources Development Canada.
http://www.thestar.com/article/163807

French police questioned Prime Minister Dominique de Villepin for 17 hours as a witness in connection with a corruption scandal and political smear campaign known as the Clearstream affair.
http://today.reuters.com/news/articlenews.aspx?type=worldNews&storyID=2006-12-22T111405Z_01_L22879561_RTRUKOC_0_US-FRANCE-VILLEPIN-1.xml

The Moriarty Tribunal, an inquiry into payments to politicians, has found that former Irish Prime Minister the late Charles Haughey accepted bribes and followed unethical business practices.
http://www.moriarty-tribunal.ie/asp/index.asp?ObjectID=636&Mode=0&RecordID=399

Former Iraqi Electricity Minister Ayham al-Samarrai has escaped from prison in Baghdad, where he was serving a 2-year sentence for corruption.

Japan's tax-panel chief, Masaki Homma, has resigned after it was revealed that he was living not with his wife but with his mistress in a government-subsidized apartment. He had been chosen by Prime Minister Abe to replace Hiromitsu Ishi just two months ago. Ishi favored corporate tax increases, and Homma reductions, but the corporate tax cut proposal has now been dropped.

Two Lesotho officials, Reatile Mochebelele and Letlafuoa Molapo, have been accused of accepting bribes in connection the Highlands dam project, built with a consortium led by German company Lahmeyer, which included the UK company Mott MacDonald. The UK Foreign Office has referred the case to the Serious Fraud Office for investigation.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/6194887.stm
http://allafrica.com/stories/200611290054.html

Nigeria's President and Vice President of Nigeria have been exchanging corruption accusations. This week it was revealed that in contrast with Vice President Atiku Ababakar's claims that the Petroleum Technology Development Fund (PTDF) had lost no public funds to fraud, that in fact at least N660 million was lost: diverted to individuals and groups associated with Ababakar. A Senate committee and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) are investigating multiple accusations. Ababakar has been chosen by the opposition Action Congress party as its presidential candidate in April 2007 elections.
http://www.vanguardngr.com/articles/2002/headline/f120122006.html

Former Peruvian President Alejandro Toledo has been formally charged with taking part in a criminal scheme to forge signatures to register his political party in the late 1990s.
http://www.cnn.com/2006/WORLD/americas/12/21/peru.toledo.ap/index.html

The Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (PCAOB) has proposed a revised auditing standard on internal control over financial reporting in the US.
http://www.pcaobus.org/News_and_Events/News/2006/12-19.aspx

An independent review into the acceptance by some Fidelity equity traders has found cases in which improper travel, entertainment, gifts and gratuities could have had an impact on investment decisions, and reflected inadequate oversight of traders. Therefore, Fidelity Investments will pay its mutual funds $42 million to cover potential losses by the traders involved.
http://personal.fidelity.com/global/content/independent-report.shtml.cvsr?refhp=pr&ut=A47
http://personal.fidelity.com/global/content/fidelity-statement.shtml.cvsr?refhp=pr&ut=A49
http://personal.fidelity.com/global/content/edward-johnson-lt.shtml.cvsr?refhp=pr&ut=A48

NASD has charged Morgan Stanley with using the 9/11 attacks as an excuse to routinely fail to provide emails to claimants in arbitration proceedings and to regulators, falsely claiming the messages had been lost in the disaster.
http://www.nasd.com/PressRoom/NewsReleases/2006NewsReleases/NASDW_018116

Harvard Law School researchers find that some 1,400 US company directors have used stock option backdating to boost their pay, indicating a lack of board oversight of executives, and poor governance practices.
http://www.law.harvard.edu/programs/olin_center/corporate_governance/papers/lucky_directors.pdf

Indian businessman Nishan Kohli pleaded guilty in Manhattan court to bribing Sanjaya Bahel, who was chief of the commodity procurement section of the UN procurement division from 1998 to 2003. The UN has adopted new regulations to address procurement misconduct and corruption.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Indian_businessman_pleads_guilty_to_bribing_UN_diplomat/articleshow/894465.cms
http://today.reuters.com/news/articlenews.aspx?type=topNews&storyID=2006-12-22T210118Z_01_MOL275617_RTRUKOC_0_US-UN-PROCUREMENT.xml

Former New Jersey State Senator John Lynch was sentenced to 39 months in federal prison for taking concealed corrupt payments in return for official action and influence as a senator.
http://www.usdoj.gov/usao/nj/press/files/pdffiles/lync1219rel.pdf

An Oklahoma Grand Jury has issued a final report recommending continued investigation of Cherokee County District Attorney Richard Gray whom is accused of creating a "nest of deception and thievery" and whose actions reflect "a pattern of behavior which harbors corruption". Indictments against Gray and two employees have been issued.
http://www.oag.state.ok.us/oagweb.nsf/0/999cafa10a027b1f862572340072beab/$FILE/MCGJ%20Final%20Report%2011-28-06.pdf
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ETM Economies and Financial Systems
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The Financial Times reports on the first major external audit f the World Bank's use of research, finding that us uses questionable evidence to push its policies.
http://www.ft.com/cms/s/a81d816c-9142-11db-b71a-0000779e2340.html

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the Arab Monetary Fund (AMF) held a seminar on Institutions and Economic Growth in the Arab Countries. Ministers, central bank governors, policymakers and economists from around the world discussed strengthening regional institutions, and increasing employment at a rate that will address the rapidly growing youth population. With the labor force projected to reach 185 million in 2020, 80 percent higher than in 2000, the region would need a substantial real growth rate of 6 to 7 percent annually, double the trend rate of the late 1990s, to prevent a dire unemployment problem.
http://www.imf.org/external/np/sec/pr/2006/pr06294.htm

Australia has reduced its economic growth forecast down from 3.25 percent to 2.5 percent following a 20 percent drop in farm output caused by drought.
http://www.budget.gov.au/2006-07/myefo/html/01_Part_1-01.htm

Thailand implemented new anti-speculation measures that led to a 15 percent plunge in the equity market. It has since recovered, particularly after the day-old currency controls were scrapped, but remains volatile. There is concern that lack of confidence and other aftereffects could deter long-term investment in the future.
http://www.nationmultimedia.com/2006/12/22/opinion/opinion_30022232.php
http://www.iht.com/articles/2006/12/22/business/baht.php

IMF staff visited Zimbabwe, where they found serious deterioration in economic conditions since the beginning of the year, with limited progress on structural reform and uncertainty over property rights depressing investor confidence. They called for deeper cuts in state spending, structural reforms, and other urgent actions to stem current trends. In addition, improved external relations are necessary to support reforms. Many of the recommendations were made previously, and continue to be resisted by the government. Inflation in Zimbabwe exceeds 1200 percent.
http://www.imf.org/external/np/sec/pr/2006/pr06282.htm
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ETM Environment and Climate Change
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The UN Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UNESCAP) published the latest regional State of the Environment report. It finds that the region is already living beyond its ecological means and must shift to efficient green growth patterns to be able to continue economic expansion. Problems include a population density 1.5 times the global average, the lowest freshwater availability per capita of all global regions, a biologically productive area per capita that is less than 60 per cent of the global average, arable and permanent crop land per capita that is less than 80 per cent the global average, and rapid growth in highly polluting industries.
http://www.unescap.org/unis/press/2006/dec/g61.asp

China plans to blast reefs in the Mekong river to make it deep enough to accommodate large cargo vessels.
http://cbs5.com/localwire/localfsnews/bcn/2006/12/22/n/HeadlineNews/EXXON-VALDEZ/resources_bcn_html

The European Commission moved forward with plans to impose extra charges on domestic and foreign flights that do not meet the standards of the EU Emissions Trading Scheme. Although the plan is generally well received, the US has called it illegal.
http://www.europa.eu/rapid/pressReleasesAction.do?reference=IP/06/1862&format=HTML
http://www.europa.eu/rapid/pressReleasesAction.do?reference=MEMO/06/506&format=HTML
http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601085&sid=aFjD2PgwRO7I
http://www.nytimes.com/2006/12/21/business/worldbusiness/21air.html

The Danish government has unveiled its plan to meet Kyoto emission reduction goals.
http://denmark.dk/portal/page?_pageid=374,610566&_dad=portal&_schema=PORTAL&ic_itemid=936120

Uganda's Karimojong herders are the latest example of how global warming contributes to increased fighting.
http://www.csmonitor.com/2006/1220/p06s02-woaf.html

The Overseas Shipping Group (OSG) has reached a settlement with the US Department of Justice for the covert dumping of thousands of gallons of sludge into New England waters in 2002. The incident has resulted in a record $37 million fine that will be divided among the affected areas and a community environmental project.
http://www.irconnect.com/osg/files/nr2006/121906doj_settlement_final.pdf
http://www.boston.com/news/local/articles/2006/12/20/dumping_by_tanker_nets_record_fine.

Damages that Exxon Mobil must pay for the 1989 oil spill in Alaska have been reduced for the third time, to $2.5 billion.
http://www.adn.com/money/industries/oil/story/8512033p-8405070c.html
http://cbs5.com/localwire/localfsnews/bcn/2006/12/22/n/HeadlineNews/EXXON-VALDEZ/resources_bcn_html
http://www.ca9.uscourts.gov/ca9/newopinions.nsf/0333BD942E7EA5AA8825724C0059D92E/$file/0435182.pdf
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ETM Human Rights
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China has implemented new rules on foreign adoption, including bans on the unmarried or obese.
http://www.chinapost.com.tw/news/archives/asiapacific/20061221/98067.htm
http://www.hfsadopt.org/china/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=15&Itemid=30

The European Monitoring Centre on Racism and Xenophobia (EUMC) released two new publications on Islamophobia in the EU. They find a wide range of abuse in the 25 member states, and call for better integration, as well as efforts to counter stereotypes and extremism. "Muslims in the European Union: Discrimination and Islamophobia" presents data on discrimination in employment, education and housing. This is complemented by interviews collected in the second report, "Perceptions of discrimination and Islamophobia".
http://eumc.europa.eu/eumc/index.php?fuseaction=content.dsp_cat_content&catid=3fb38ad3e22bb&contentid=4582d9f4345ad
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/4385768.stm

The Justice and Security Bill currently before the UK Parliament exempts intelligence services from human rights investigations, a condition that the Human Rights Commission wants removed.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/northern_ireland/6205491.stm

The United Arab Emirates will pay $9 million to former child camel jockeys to ensure they are compensated for losing income, and support their education, following bans on the use of children in the races.
http://www.ansarburney.com/
http://www.unicef.org/media/media_37798.html

31 December 2006 will be the first occasion on which classified US documents will be instantly declassified after 25 years, unless an exception has been previously granted.
http://www.nytimes.com/2006/12/21/washington/21declassify.html
http://www.archives.gov/
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ETM Infectious Diseases
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A seminal study on the spread of disease used genetic analysis to trace an invasive marine animal and its parasites, pointing to broad implications for identifying and mitigating spreading disease in a global economy.
http://www.ia.ucsb.edu/pa/display.aspx?pkey=1536

Researchers writing in the Lancet examined records of the 1918 Spanish flu to examine the impact of a pandemic today. Death rates would very among rich and poor countries, but would likely amount to some 62 million.
http://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140673606698954/abstract

Vietnam has confirmed an H5N1 outbreak among domestic poultry. There is also a fresh outbreak in South Korea. Southeast Asian nations are scrambling to limit the spread, including mass poultry culls. South Korea has also begun to slaughter thousands of pigs to help end the outbreak.
http://www.oie.int/downld/AVIAN%20INFLUENZA/A_AI-Asia.htm
http://edition.cnn.com/2006/HEALTH/12/24/bird.flu.ap/index.html

The US Department of Health and Human Services has updated its pandemic plans, with a review of actions to date.
http://www.hhs.gov/pandemicflu/implementationplan/

National Institutes of Health researchers have developed an experimental malaria vaccine that shows promise to eradicate the parasite from the mosquitoes that carry it.
http://www.nih.gov/news/pr/dec2006/nichd-18.htm

Health organizations in Angola are scrambling to identify an unknown disease has killed half of the 35 cases identified since November.
http://www.irinnews.org/report.asp?ReportID=56814

Black fever kills about 60,000 people a year, most of them poor. " The Axis of Good: A Woman's Fight to Save the Poor from Black Fever" describes an effort to get the global pharmaceutical industry interested in producing the drug that cures the disease.
http://www.spiegel.de/international/spiegel/0,1518,454694,00.html
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ETM Legal Systems
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New York Times reporter Michael Moss describes how the system in Iraq for detaining, charging and trying suspects has become another weak link in the rule of law.
http://www.nytimes.com/2006/12/17/world/middleeast/17justice.html

The European Commission has put forward a draft decision to give the European Police Office (Europol) a more flexible operating framework that will make it more effective in assisting the Member States in the fight against terrorism, organized crime and all forms of serious crime.
http://www.europa.eu/rapid/pressReleasesAction.do?reference=IP/06/1861&format=HTML

The UK Home Office has ended Operation Safeguard, an emergency effort to ease prison overcrowding.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/uklatest/story/0,,-6298881,00.html
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ETM Natural Resources
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Romanian environmentalists are resisting Canadian efforts to open a new gold mine.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/programmes/from_our_own_correspondent/6183569.stm

Zambia's Konkola mine is attempting to combat years of neglect to take advantage of the booming copper market.
http://www.ft.com/cms/s/2e4a937e-9107-11db-b71a-0000779e2340.html
http://www.ft.com/cms/s/de9bdc46-8f05-11db-a7b2-0000779e2340.html
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ETM Populations
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International Migrants Day was marked on 18 December.
http://www.iom.int/jahia/Jahia/newsArticleEU/cache/offonce?entryId=12386
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/in_depth/6183803.stm

The Supreme Court of Canada ruled yesterday that members of British Columbia's Tsartlip Indian Band have the right to hunt at night, overturning a lower court ruling that safety concerns usurp treaty rights.
http://www.thestar.com/article/164299

Guangzhou, China's municipal government is considering limiting migrant workers due to claims they bring social ills.
http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/china/2006-12/19/content_762213.htm

India's parliament has passed a bill recognizing traditional tribal rights for forest dwellers, which had been curtailed by environmental laws.
http://www.ibnlive.com/news/no-more-blues-for-people-of-nilgiris/29051-3.html
http://today.reuters.co.uk/news/articlenews.aspx?type=scienceNews&storyID=2006-12-21T103639Z_01_DEL121116_RTRIDST_0_SCIENCE-INDIA-FORESTS-TIGERS-DC.XML&WTmodLoc=SciHealth-C3-Science-5
http://tribal.nic.in/

Japan's falling birth rate will cut population by 30 percent over the next 50 years. By 2055, more than 40 percent of the population will be above 65 years of age.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/6197315.stm

Kenya's Constitutional Court has ruled that the nomadic Ilchamus community, of 35,000 people, is entitled to have a representative in parliament.
http://allafrica.com/stories/200612181644.html
http://www.nationmedia.com/dailynation/nmgcontententry.asp?category_id=25&newsid=88126

Russia's indigenous Sami are in a fight for their lives, and their reindeer, in the remote Kola peninsula in the Arctic tundra, which is under threat from multiple sources.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/6171701.stm

The US Census Bureau released state population figures. There was a 5 percent loss in Louisiana after the hurricanes, while the west was the fastest growing region.
http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/releases/archives/population/007910.html
http://www.nola.com/news/t-p/frontpage/index.ssf?/base/news-7/1166770144296470.xml
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ETM Social Responsibility
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The Starr International Foundation has been established by a group of former AIG officials, and owns all of the common equity of Starr International Company (SICO), creating an endowment of some $20 billion.
http://home.businesswire.com/portal/site/google/index.jsp?ndmViewId=news_view&newsId=20061221005075&newsLang=en
http://www.starrfoundation.org/
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ETM Technology
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Russia plans an ambitious space program that will expand ground and orbital programs and resume interplanetary research.
http://en.rian.ru/analysis/20061219/57300770.html
http://en.rian.ru/analysis/20061220/57396095.html

The UK Office of Science and Innovation's Horizon Scanning Center released the Sigma and Delta online research papers exploring future trends. One paper addressed the rights of robots, suggesting they could one day demand the same rights as humans.
http://www.sigmascan.org//ViewIssue.aspx?IssueId=53
http://www.foresight.gov.uk/HORIZON_SCANNING_CENTRE/Strategic_Horizon_Scans/Strategic_Horizon_Scans.html
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ETM Weapons (WMD, Proliferation)
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The UN Security Council has voted unanimously to impose sanctions against Iran following its failure to end uranium enrichment. The sanctions ban supply of nuclear-related technology and materials, freezes limited assets, and limits travel for specific individuals. It does not authorize use of force, but is intended to send a strong message that compliance with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) is required. Iran says the sanctions are illegal and will have no impact on their nuclear activities.
http://www.un.org/apps/news/story.asp?NewsID=21102&Cr=Iran&Cr1=IAEA
http://today.reuters.com/news/articlenews.aspx?type=topNews&storyID=2006-12-23T173039Z_01_L23866683_RTRUKOC_0_US-IRAN-NUCLEAR.xml
http://www.nytimes.com/2006/12/24/world/24nations.html
http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/804627.html
http://www.mfa.gov.ir/

Iran has begun to implement its November undertaking to provide uranium enrichment centrifuge facility records and other information to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).
http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/L21814509.htm

This week's round of 6-party negotiations regarding North Korea's nuclear programs has ended without progress, although there are plans to resume negotiations within weeks.
http://edition.cnn.com/2006/WORLD/asiapcf/12/22/nkorea.talks.ap/index.html
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/12/22/AR2006122200242.html

US President Bush signed into law the US-India nuclear cooperation treaty. He included a signing statement that negated congressional efforts to control proliferation and other provisions, to which India had objected.
http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2006/12/21/asia/AS_GEN_India_US_Nuclear.php
http://www.iht.com/articles/2006/12/21/news/policy.php

Japan will upgrade its seismic sensor network to better identify nuclear explosions.
http://www.khaleejtimes.com/DisplayArticleNew.asp?xfile=data/theworld/2006/December/theworld_December528.xml&section=theworld

The US Department of Health and Human Services cancelled an anthrax vaccine contract with VaxGen, which missed another deadline for human testing. This suggests that an alternative to the existing vaccine could be years away.
http://www.vaxgen.com/pressroom/
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/12/20/AR2006122001826.html

5. Critical Infrastructure Monitor

Critical Infrastructure Monitor gives you the background and analysis missing from these news briefings. Subscriptions can be purchased from our online store:
TAMNI Publications

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CIM Agriculture and Food
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The Australian Wheat Board has been suspended from the US following revelation of its role in the Iraq oil-for-food fraud.
http://www.usda.gov/wps/portal/!ut/p/_s.7_0_A/7_0_1OB?contentidonly=true&contentid=2006/12/0473.xml

The EU undertook a number of measures regarding fisheries:
* New quotas
http://www.europa.eu/rapid/pressReleasesAction.do?reference=IP/06/1890&format=HTML
* Agreements with Mozambique and Russia, for the Baltic Sea
http://www.europa.eu/rapid/pressReleasesAction.do?reference=IP/06/1898&format=HTML
http://www.europa.eu/rapid/pressReleasesAction.do?reference=IP/06/1897&format=HTML
* Strengthening sustainable fishing in Western and Central Pacific
http://www.europa.eu/rapid/pressReleasesAction.do?reference=IP/06/1896&format=HTML
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/6194425.stm

Peru's President Alan Garcia has recommended legal uses of the coca leaf in cooking and salads as well as for medicinal purposes. Such applications could help fight its use in illegal cocaine production and trafficking.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/6196287.stm

Bolivia is also expanding legal coca production.
http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/news/world/americas/16278477.htm

Thailand's Rice Department is considering re-introducing flood-resistant native varieties to replace the high productivity varieties that did not survive this year's floods.

A new report finds that marijuana is the leading cash crop in the US, with $35 billion produced a year, more than corn and wheat combined.
http://www.drugscience.org/bcr/index.html
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CIM Banking and Finance
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European stock market operator Euronext shareholders have approved a takeover by the New York Stock Exchange.
http://www.euronext.com/file/view/0,4245,1626_53424_997980078,00.pdf
http://www.nyse.com/Frameset.html?nyseref=http%3A//www.nyse.com/about/newsevents/1149243292355.html&displayPage=/press/1166613560168.html
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CIM Chemical
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The EU has moved to final adoption of REACH, the new chemical safety legislation.
http://www.europa.eu/rapid/pressReleasesAction.do?reference=PRES/06/368&format=HTML

The European Commission proposes harmonized rules for transport of dangerous goods. Current rules cover road and rail and will be expanded to cover waterways, for which no rules currently exist.
http://www.europa.eu/rapid/pressReleasesAction.do?reference=IP/06/1899&format=HTML

The US Department of Homeland Security has released chemical facility anti-terrorism standards for public comment.
http://www.dhs.gov/xnews/releases/pr_1166807052891.shtm
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CIM Commercial Facilities
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Boston, Massachusetts will mandate that all new private construction of at least 50,000 square feet must meet the minimum criteria of the US Green Building Council's Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design standards.
http://www.nytimes.com/2006/12/20/us/20boston.html
http://www.usgbc.org/

Balancing access and security in high-rise buildings is the topic of this article:
http://www.insurancejournal.com/news/national/2006/12/19/75121.htm
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CIM Cybersecurity
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Yahoo! Messenger must update their software following the discovery of a serious security vulnerability involving a buffer overflow that could permit hackers to take control of computers that run Microsoft Windows.

http://www.kb.cert.org/vuls/id/901852

Firefox users need to upgrade their browsers and email client to the latest released to address nine security fixes that present serious threats to steal personal information or gain control of vulnerable systems.
http://www.mozilla.com/en-US/firefox/
http://secunia.com/advisories/23282

The Open Relay Database (ORDB) has ended operations now that spammers are using alternate techniques. They recommend that ORDB checks are immediately removed from mailers and instead a use combination of greylisting and content-based analysis.
http://www.ordb.org/news/?id=38

Sony BMG reached a settlement with California and Texas, which provides restitution to consumers harmed by a hidden rootkit in third party software used by Sony's copy protection systems. Two days later, another 40 states were awarded damages to end similar investigations.
http://www.ago.state.ma.us/sp.cfm?pageid=986&id=1783
http://www.sonybmgcdtechsettlement.com/

Yung-Hsun Lin has been charged in New Jersey (US) with planting a logic bomb in Medco Health Solutions computers, in a failed effort to destroy its systems.
http://www.usdoj.gov/usao/nj/press/files/pdffiles/lin1219rel.pdf

Federal authorities reportedly disrupted an identity theft plot against New York Mets star Pedro Martinez and 90 other Major League Baseball (MLB) players.
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/custom/newsroom/chi-061220idsteal,1,1606477.story

The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) took emergency action to stop foreign traders from a pump and dump scam using stolen online passwords.
http://www.sec.gov/litigation/litreleases/2006/lr19949.htm

Daniel Lee Lavender, Scott C. Cameron, Allen Dell Wooden, Ryan Anthony Anderson, and Forrest C. Kennedy have been charged in Oklahoma with multiple charges related to identity fraud and theft involving stolen credit cards. The case has led Oklahoma Attorney General Drew Edmondson to announce that his office will propose legislation to expand consumer protection prosecutorial authority. The case apparently involved social engineering, not hacking, by simply districting the hotel clerk and taking the printed guest list.
http://www.oag.state.ok.us/oagweb.nsf/0/D239EA1FB90D49D08625724A007C7ACF!OpenDocument
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CIM Dams and Bridges
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Chilean environmentalists and the tourist industry are opposing a proposal to build four hydroelectric dams in the untouched wilderness of Patagonia.
http://www.ft.com/cms/s/c090e570-8f05-11db-a7b2-0000779e2340.html
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CIM Defense Industrial Base
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Parsons Corporation is an engineering and construction firm that recent federal audits have reproved for incomplete and flawed projects in Iraq. CEO James McNulty is responding with details of his firm's work and problems with how the US uses private contractors in Iraq.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/12/21/AR2006122101739.html

In "Defense Contracting: Questions for the Record", the US Government Accountability Office addresses post-hearing questions that arose regarding defense department measures that could help ensure better contracting outcomes.
http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-07-217R
" Military Operations: High-Level DOD Action Needed to Address Long-standing Problems with Management and Oversight of Contractors Supporting Deployed Forces" was released 18 December.
http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-07-145
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CIM Emergency Services
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The International Atomic Energy Agency has issued guidelines for first responders to a nuclear or radiological emergency.
http://www.iaea.org/NewsCenter/News/2006/firstresponders.html

The 7 July 2005 terrorist bombings in London produced the largest mass casualty event in the UK since World War II. A study published in the Lancet analyzed hospital records and determined that "Critical mortality was reduced by rapid advanced major incident management and seems unrelated to over-triage. Hospital surge capacity can be maintained by repeated effective triage and implementing a hospital-wide damage control philosophy, keeping investigations to a minimum, and transferring patients rapidly to definitive care."
http://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140673606698966/abstract

The US Secretary of Transportation has established the National Emergency Medical Services Advisory Council to provide advice and recommendations regarding EMS matters to the Department of Transportation (DOT), National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). NHTSA's Office of Emergency Medical Services will serve as sponsor of the Advisory Council for the Secretary. The purpose of this notice is to inform interested parties of the establishment of NEMSAC and invite the submission to NHTSA of nominations/applications for membership, as well as comments on the strategies or issues that should be considered by NEMSAC.
http://edocket.access.gpo.gov/2006/pdf/E6-21522.pdf

The Food and Drug Administration approved the Cyanokit (containing the drug hydroxocobalamin, intravenous tubing and a sterile spike for reconstituting the drug product with saline) for the treatment of known or suspected cyanide poisoning, which most commonly occurs from smoke inhalation during fires but could also be used in a terrorist attack.
http://www.fda.gov/bbs/topics/NEWS/2006/NEW01531.html
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CIM Energy
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Gazprom, Shell, Mitsui, Mitsubishi have signed the Sakhalin II protocol under which the other partners were forced to dilute their shares (and original investment) to turn control over to Russian state firm Gazprom.
http://www.shell.com/home/investor-en/html/iwgen/news_and_library/press_releases/2006/sakhalin_protocol_21122006.html
http://www.shell.com/home/investor-en/html/iwgen/news_and_library/press_releases_sakhalin_agreement_ministry_21122006.html
http://en.rian.ru/business/20061212/56826691.html
http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/L21330154.htm

Lucrative US oil incentives for drilling provide little in return. An Interior Department study obtained by the New York Times shows no actual effects of incentives. Industry analysts say that the US share of oil and gas revenue from federal property is about 40 percent, compared to a worldwide average of more than 60 percent.
http://www.nytimes.com/2006/12/22/washington/22royalty.html

Southern California Edison Co. announced that it would buy the power produced by a massive Tehachapi wind energy project.
http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-power22dec22,0,7840113.story
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CIM Government Facilities
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The UN General Assembly approved more than $1.8 billion to fund a renovation of the headquarters complex in New York City.
http://www.un.org/apps/news/story.asp?NewsID=21101&Cr=capital&Cr1=plan
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CIM Information Technology
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IDC reports that worldwide personal computer shipments grew at a solid 9.1 percent in the third quarter of 2006, despite no growth in the United States.
http://www.idc.com/getdoc.jsp?containerId=prUS20497806

NEC has recalled Valuestar G and H personal computers after two f the machines caught fire due to a faulty power unit.
http://www.techweb.com/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=196701217

Matsushita has established a mass production system for safer high capacity lithium-ion batteries.
http://panasonic.co.jp/corp/news/official.data/data.dir/en061218-2/en061218-2.html
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CIM Nuclear Reactors, Materials, and Waste
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In eastern Germany, a large consignment of uranium, most highly enriched, has been flown to Russia under the Global Threat Reduction Initiative.
http://www.iaea.org/NewsCenter/News/2006/germany.html

Britain's Nuclear Decommissioning Authority has a GBP200 million shortfall that could force job cuts and threaten cleanup.
http://business.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,9078-2513678,00.html

The US National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) secured radioactive material from a small business in eastern Massachusetts and sent it to secure storage
http://www.nnsa.doe.gov/docs/newsreleases/2006/PR_2006-12-21_NA-06-52.htm
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CIM Postal and Shipping
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The European Commission has adopted a regulation to increase security for shipments entering or leaving the EU and provide greater facilitation for compliant operators, using improved risk analysis of goods crossing EU borders. From 1 January 2008, reliable traders (Authorized Economic Operators) respecting high standard security criteria will benefit from trade facilitation measures and from 1 July 2009 the electronic exchange of advance information between traders and customs authorities on all goods entering or leaving the EU, will be introduced. The regulation also requires customs authorities to exchange information electronically on exports in order to speed up export procedures.
http://www.europa.eu/rapid/pressReleasesAction.do?reference=IP/06/1821&format=HTML
http://www.europa.eu/rapid/pressReleasesAction.do?reference=MEMO/06/495&format=HTML
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CIM Public Health and Healthcare
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In the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh a new law will make HIV testing compulsory before marriage.

Britain's National Health Service (NHS) is moving forward with electronic patient records, but has agreed to allow patients to veto data sharing.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/6189745.stm

The Philippines is considering measures to ensure confidentiality of private health records used by local governments.
http://www.sunstar.com.ph/static/bag/2006/12/23/news/rules.to.ensure.confidentiality.of.private.health.records.sought.html

America’s Health Insurance Plans (AHIP) and Blue Cross Blue Shield have released a model for personal health records.
http://www.ahip.org/content/pressrelease.aspx?docid=18328

The Food and Drug Administration has proposed new warning labels for products containing acetaminophen and NSAIDs.
http://www.fda.gov/bbs/topics/NEWS/2006/NEW01533.html
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CIM Telecommunications
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The Trans-Pacific Express will be a new undersea optical cable system to directly link the US mainland with China. The consortium to build it includes China Telecom and China Netcom - China Unicom, Korea Telecom, Chunghwa Telecom (Taiwan), and one US company: Verizon Business.
http://newscenter.verizon.com/press-releases/verizon/2006/verizon-business-joins.html

The UK Office of Communications (Ofcom) released an issues paper for public comment regarding interactive services on television, and whether they should be regulates as editorial or advertising, or in some other way.
http://www.ofcom.org.uk/media/news/2006/12/nr_20061215

Ofcom also released the Digital Dividend Review for public consultation regarding use of radio spectrum that will be released after the switch to all-digital television, taking into account such possible uses as: local digital terrestrial television channels; additional national digital terrestrial television channels, in either standard definition or high definition; television services for mobile phones and other types of mobile video and multimedia; mobile communications, such as voice calls and data; broadband wireless applications; wireless microphones for theatres, television and radio production and live music events; low-power wireless applications, such as wi-fi in the home; public safety services, such as wireless communications for the emergency services, and additional new uses likely to emerge in the future as rapid innovation continues across the wireless sector.
http://www.ofcom.org.uk/media/news/2006/12/nr_20061219
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CIM Transportation
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German air marshals discuss their falling clout with airlines in this article:
http://www.spiegel.de/international/0,1518,455420,00.html

The Airports of Thailand board is considering a working group report that finds the new Suvarnabhumi Airport is beset with problems resulting from substandard construction, poor management, and other problems that in some cases threaten passenger safety.

A Miami Herald investigation reveals patterns of neglect and failure in cargo flights.
http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/16308974.htm

The US Federal Aviation Administration released new regulations for private human space flight, including full disclosure of the risks
http://edocket.access.gpo.gov/2006/pdf/E6-21193.pdf

The Department of Homeland Security's Privacy office finds that the Transportation Security Administration's Secure Flight program violated privacy law.
http://www.dhs.gov/xlibrary/assets/privacy/privacy-secure-flight-122006.pdf

The Port Authority of New York announced the recommendations of an independent task force to improve security at the 361 ports in the US, including those in New Jersey and New York. The recommendations include:
* Adopt federal legislation sanctioning minimum mandatory cargo security standards that use innovative technology and business practices to monitor every cargo shipment.
* Presidential appointment of a National Port and Cargo Security Director, reporting to the Director of Homeland Security to coordinate port and cargo security activities throughout federal agencies and the international community.
* Establish of a nationwide Port Security User Fee dedicated exclusively to US ports based on size, cargo volume and risk, to offset costs associated with security installations and operations.
* Establish response and recovery plans unique to the regional environment of each US port, including annual exercises to test response and recovery plans.
* Federal legislation that requires every regulated maritime facility and Coast Guard Captain of the Port to implement a comprehensive risk-management plan as the basis for resource allocation.
* Continue development of the Transportation Worker Identification Credential Program.
http://www.panynj.gov/AboutthePortAuthority/PressCenter/PressReleases/PressRelease/index.php?id=895

An analysis done for the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey says that the train tunnels under the Hudson River are more vulnerable to a bomb attack than previously thought, and that a relatively small amount of high explosives could cause significant flooding of the rail system within hours.
http://www.nytimes.com/2006/12/22/nyregion/22security.html
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CIM Water
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The Lebanese town of Amrousieh in the southern Chouf suffers from poor living conditions and ecological disaster as the Ghadir River has turned into a huge industrial dump and haven for disease.
http://www.dailystar.com.lb/article.asp?edition_id=1&categ_id=1&article_id=77927

Black and Veatch delivered their report to the New Orleans' Sewerage and Water Board. The management consultants estimate that it will take 25 years and cost $5.7 billion to fix the water, sewage and drainage systems for damage caused by Hurricane Katrina as well as that that existed before.
http://www.nola.com/news/t-p/frontpage/index.ssf?/base/news-7/1166687648146230.xml
http://www.swbno.org/

6. Disaster Reduction Monitor

News highlights from the past week are provided in this free email update, but detailed analysis, background information and source documents are only available to subscribers. Disaster Reduction Monitor subscriptions and other titles can be purchased here:
TAMNI Publications

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DRM Incidents
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Swiss Re sigma released preliminary estimates of catastrophe losses in 2006. They called it a benign year for property insurers, with natural and man-made catastrophes triggering total economic losses of around $40 billion, and costing property insurers worldwide $15 billion. In 2006, earthquakes, cold spells, windstorms and also shipping disasters claimed an estimated 30 000 lives.

About 80 suspected migrants drowned after their small boat ran aground in bad weather off the coast of Senegal.

Fourteen people drowned in northern Mali when two river boats collided and sank.

An outbreak of Rift Valley Fever, a rare contagious hemorrhagic fever, has killed 11 people in Kenya.

Ten people died and dozens were injured in Java, Indonesia, when a stampede occurred during a pop concert with the Ungu band, which filled the stadium to twice its capacity, including thousands without tickets. There were only two open exit gates for some 12,000 attendees.

Winter storms in the Pacific northwest of the US and Canada have led to massive power outages. At least eight people have died from carbon monoxide poisoning, and dozens more treated. In total, 16 people were killed during the storm.

A 5.7 earthquake struck Indonesia's North Sumatra regency, killing at least seven and injuring 150.

Severe flooding in southern Malaysia has displaced some 60,000 people. Six are confirmed dead, but the toll will rise as emergency services arrive.
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DRM Response and Recovery
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Former US President Bill Clinton, UN Secretary General's Special Envoy for Tsunami Recovery, completed a 24-page report, "Key Propositions for Building Back Better". It highlights ten key lessons learned from the recovery effort:
* Governments, donor and aid agencies must recognize that families and communities drive their own recovery
* Recovery must promote fairness and equity
* Governments must be better prepared for future disasters
* Local governments must be empowered to manage recovery efforts, and donors must devote greater resources to strengthening government recovery institutions
* Good information is key to recovery planning and effective coordination
* The UN, World Bank and other multilateral agencies must clarify their roles and relationships
* The expanding role of relief agencies must be accompanied by increased quality of recovery efforts
* Governments and aid agencies must encourage entrepreneurs to flourish
Agency partnerships must efficiently deliver to those in need without "rivalry and unhealthy competition'
* Good recovery must reduce risks and build resilience in communities.

The aftermath of the 2004 tsunami continues to be felt across the dozen countries affected. At least 230,000 people died, about three-quarters of them in Aceh province of Indonesia.
http://www.actionaid.org/index.asp?page_id=1519

The most sustained issues are persistent problems associated with housing. Thousands remain in inadequate shelters, and there are serious issues related to the location, design, and cost of replacement homes.
http://www.actionaid.org/index.asp?page_id=1521
http://www.actionaid.org/index.asp?page_id=1520

Writing in Emerging Infectious Diseases, John Watson and colleagues address "Epidemics after Natural Disasters". Their abstract summarizes:
"The relationship between natural disasters and communicable diseases is frequently misconstrued. The risk for outbreaks is often presumed to be very high in the chaos that follows natural disasters, a fear likely derived from a perceived association between dead bodies and epidemics. However, the risk factors for outbreaks after disasters are associated primarily with population displacement. The availability of safe water and sanitation facilities, the degree of crowding, the underlying health status of the population, and the availability of healthcare services all interact within the context of the local disease ecology to influence the risk for communicable diseases and death in the affected population. We outline the risk factors for outbreaks after a disaster, review the communicable diseases likely to be important, and establish priorities to address communicable diseases in disaster settings."
http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/EID/13/1/1.htm?s_cid=eid1_e

The Council on Foundations discusses the role of grantmakers in responding to national disasters, using four stories to illustrate the positive impact of organized, strategic giving focused on long-term solutions.
http://www.cof.org/Action/content.cfm?ItemNumber=1507&navItemNumber=2246

The World Food Program has joined forces with the Vodafone Group to ensure rapid communications during emergency response around the world.
http://www.wfp.org/english/?n=31

US Federal Emergency Management Agency officials announced their selections for $400 million in grants for an alternative housing pilot project. Mississippi has been given the lion's share, with more than half the funds going there. Louisiana, which suffered more than three times the housing lost in Mississippi, has been given less than a quarter as much.
http://www.fema.gov/news/newsrelease.fema?id=32426
http://www.nola.com/news/t-p/washington/index.ssf?/base/news-1/1166770339296470.xml

FEMA has appealed a court decision that reinstated the shelter program for Katrina survivors.
http://www.fema.gov/news/newsrelease.fema?id=32467
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DRM Risks
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Indonesia's Sumatra province includes several areas at great risk of landslides. On 15 December, a landslide in the Solik regency killed 18 people. Geologist Ade Edward recommends evacuating and banning all human settlement in those areas at greatest risk.

The Philippines Mines and Geosciences Bureau has identified nearly 200 villages in 17 municipalities and three cities prone to geological hazards.
http://www.sunstar.com.ph/static/ilo/2006/12/23/news/.195.areas.prone.to.geologic.hazards..html

The evacuation of New Orleans in response to Hurricane Katrina was relatively successful in evacuating about a million people who had their own vehicles. However, about 100,000 people were not evacuated before the hurricane, including the elderly, low-income individuals, and people with disabilities, who often lack access to transportation. The US Government Accountability Office (GAO) addresses this population in their new report, "Transportation-Disadvantaged Populations: Actions Needed to Clarify Responsibilities and Increase Preparedness for Evacuations.
http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-07-44
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DRM Mitigation
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UK insurance company TT Club will offer WMD insurance for the shipping industry beginning next year.
http://www.ttclub.com/ttclub/ttclub.nsf/HTML/7EB7ED3F1B53A9608025723B0038CCDC

7. Recommended Reading

Federal Trade Commission (FTC) Consumer Alert

Holiday Shopping? How To Be On Guard When You're Online

Thinking about shopping for the holidays? It’s no secret that browsing and buying online can save you time, money, and effort. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC), the nation’s consumer protection agency, says shoppers who stop and think before they click can prevent an online Scrooge from interfering with their purchases and ultimately, their holiday fun.

The FTC and the technology industry recently launched OnguardOnline, a campaign to help consumers integrate online safety into their daily online routines. The agency says that consumers who take a few precautions when they’re online can help minimize the chances of a mishap. Among the tips from OnGuardOnline.gov are:

* Know who you’re dealing with. Anyone can set up shop online. Confirm an online seller’s physical address and phone number in case you need to get in touch with them. If you get an email or pop-up message from the seller while you’re browsing that asks for financial information, don’t reply or click on the link in the message. Legitimate companies don’t ask for this information via email or pop-ups.

* Read between the lines. Read the seller’s description of the product closely, especially the fine print. Words like “refurbished,” “vintage,” or “close-out” may indicate that the product is in less-than-mint condition; name-brand items with “too good to be true” prices could be counterfeits.

* Calculate the costs. Check out websites that offer price comparisons and then, compare “apples to apples.” Factor shipping and handling into the total cost of the order. Then, stack these costs against your budget and needs.

* Pay by credit or charge card. Do not send cash under any circumstances. If you pay by credit or charge card online, your transaction will be protected by the Fair Credit Billing Act. Under this law, you have the right to dispute charges under certain circumstances and temporarily withhold payment while the creditor is investigating. In the event your credit or charge card is used without your knowledge and permission, you generally are liable for no more than $50 in charges per card. Many companies do not hold consumers responsible for any unauthorized charges made online, and some card issuers may provide additional warranty, return, and/or purchase protection benefits.

* Check out the terms of the deal, like refund policies and delivery dates. Can you return the item for a full refund? If you return it, who pays the shipping costs or restocking fees? Check on when you can expect to receive your order. The law requires sellers to ship items as promised or within 30 days after the order date if no specific date is promised. Can the recipient return your gift? If so, ask that a gift receipt be included in the package.

* Keep a paper trail. Print and save records of your online transactions, including the product description and price, the online receipt, and copies of any email you exchange with the seller. Read your credit card statements as you receive them to be on the lookout for unauthorized charges.

* Don’t email your financial information. Email is not a secure method of transmitting financial or personal information like your credit card, checking account, or Social Security number. If you begin a transaction and want to provide your financial information through an organization’s website, look for indicators that the site is secure, like a lock icon on the browser’s status bar or a URL for a website that begins “https:” (the “s” stands for “secure”). Unfortunately, no indicator is foolproof; some fraudulent sites have forged security icons.

* Use anti-virus software and a firewall and update them regularly. Anti-virus software protects your computer from viruses that can destroy your data, slow your computer’s performance, cause a crash, or even allow spammers to send email through your account. It scans your computer and incoming email for viruses, deleting them. Your anti-virus software should update routinely with antidotes to the latest “bugs” circulating through the Internet. Firewalls help keep hackers from using your computer to send out your personal information without your permission. Think of a firewall as a guard, watching for outside attempts to access your system and blocking communications to and from sources you don’t permit. If your operating system doesn’t include a firewall, get a separate software firewall, or install a hardware firewall — an external device that includes firewall software.

* Check a company’s privacy policy before doing business. It should let you know what personal information the website operators are collecting, why, and how they’re going to use it. If you can’t find a privacy policy — or if you can’t understand it — consider taking your business to another site that’s more security-conscious and customer-friendly.

SOURCE:
http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/conline/pubs/alerts/shopalrt.htm

8. Asset Management Network News

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